Episode 29: The Van de Graaff accelerator
There are many potential applications of nuclear physics-based technologies, such as evaluating the authenticity of art pieces and precious metals, and studying the nature of materials used in electronics and in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. In 1961, Portugal witnessed the arrival of one of these technologies: The Van de Graaff accelerator. It is located at Técnico – CTN Campus, and attracted a large community of physicists. The accelerator is an electrical device that can accelerate elementary particles, such as protons, electrons or ions. Particle beam impact allows for studying the most diverse materials and their constitution. The accelerator at CTN was upgraded and, in the 1990s, began operating at even higher energies. This new version of the accelerator includes some parts of its predecessor. The remaining parts of the original accelerator can be found at the National Museum of Natural History and Science -Universidade de Lisboa (MUHNAC).
- Acknowledgements:
Eduardo Alves
José Marques, Vice-Presidente para a Gestão do Campus Tecnológico e Nuclear do Pólo de Loures do Técnico
Episode only available in Portuguese in: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Anchor.fm
Further reading and additional audio in the Portuguese version of this webpage.